


Taking Over Me

by Mysticmcknight



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Adventure, Angst, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-08-19
Updated: 2005-08-19
Packaged: 2017-12-08 21:31:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/766233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysticmcknight/pseuds/Mysticmcknight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the blink of an eye, Daniel is gone, nowhere to be found and Jack comes to realize soon after that Daniel means everything to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taking Over Me

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Violence, Adult situations, Mention of mutilation (non-graphic)

Another day another fifty-cents, as Jack saw it as he walked the perimeter of the ruins on another dead alien planet, allowing his archeologist and Second in Command to play in the dirt, while he and Teal’c kept watch over them. Jack stopped and looked up at the blue sun that gave a unique hue to this tiny planet…er moon, as Carter was fond of reminding him, and smiled, for he’d never have imagined seeing such a lovely sight. It looked like a child’s drawing, the deep blue sun rising higher in the turquoise sky, looking down upon the brownish green grass and even richer blue trees. He dubbed this the blue planet…moon, for P7X-993 just didn’t do it justice. 

Adjusting his sunglasses, Jack turned back to see Daniel still working away at the distant wall of the remains of the temple. He was totally lost in his new discovery. Jack allowed himself a moment to admire not only his strong physique, but also his quirky movements, like mouthing his words so that no sound escaped his lips. His right index finger pointed inside one the books he was holding then he’d tap against his chin, and then do it again, usually followed by Daniel licking his lips, in desperate need of a chap stick. Jack was also captivated by the way Daniel would remain frozen to the spot, then suddenly burst into a fury of activity, his blue eyes sparkling with passion and wonder of his new discovery. Jack loved to watch Daniel at his work, on downtime…he simply loved the man. 

Daniel was special to him, he’d known that for sometime now, but also knew that with Daniel first being married to Shar’re and the military, he couldn’t do anything about it. Then it was the military and the deep friendship that became the obstacle, for Jack feared losing it, and there had been so many trials and tribulations that had almost torn them apart, but each time they came back stronger, but still, Jack feared that what was in his heart was the last straw that might break what was so precious to him, so remained silent and knew he probably always would. 

Jack looked at his watch and knew he would be interrupting Daniel in ten minutes, resulting in a battle of wills, Jack only winning because it was for Daniel’s own good. The man needed water, food and a rest, and then he could get lost in his work again. Plus, he had to check on Teal’c and Carter, who were just over the ridge, where Carter believed she’d get the best readings for the mineral samples she was taking. Jack then gave a soft internal sigh, as he once more looked over at Daniel, who once more was hard at work, fiddling with something on the wall… “Daniel!” he shouted and headed straight inside and right up to the man. “DANIEL!” he shouted, to get the man’s attention.

“For crying out loud, Jack, what is wrong with you, I’m right here, what the hell are you yelling about?” Daniel snapped, after jumping a mile in his skin. He was much better at keeping his awareness nowadays, but when Jack was around, he still let it go, as he trusted Jack to keep him safe, he just hated when the man snuck up on him like that. 

“I shouted, because you weren’t listening, the first time I called you name,” Jack replied. 

“Oh…well, what do you want, Jack, I’m busy. I just discovered that the writing is a cross between the Ancient’s Latin and Spanish, which would explain the artwork we found earlier…” 

“AAAAT,” Jack said, cutting the man off. “You were touching the wall…” 

“Jack, I always touch the writing…” Daniel started to protest. 

“You were moving things…moving is bad, Daniel,” Jack tried to tell him. 

Daniel chuckled, “The wall not only is in a mix of two languages, but certain sections move, changing the meaning of the text…like a puzzle,” Daniel tried to explain. 

“I think you should let Carter take another look…” 

“Jack, she didn’t pick up any readings and Teal’c didn’t see anything out of place and there has been no sign of the Goa’uld. It’s just a wall with some writing on it…a wall I’d LIKE to get back to, if you don’t mind,” Daniel said, turning to get back to work whether Jack minded or not. 

Jack couldn’t help the bad feeling he had, but that didn’t mean it was from the wall or Daniel was in trouble. His gut never did come with a translator, and it was one language Daniel either didn’t want to learn or couldn’t. “Be careful,” he said, knowing he was already being ignored. 

Giving Daniel one more look, seeing he was doing okay, Jack headed back outside and clicked on his radio. “How’s it going T?” he asked, looking at the ridge where he knew the other half of his team was. 

“We are progressing according to schedule, O’Neill. Major Carter is optimistic that the soil samples will contain high amounts of the naquadah your government seeks,” Teal’c’s voice came back. 

“Any sign of trouble?” Jack asked, subconsciously rubbing the back of his neck, the hairs tickling him a bit, though it could be just the wind or the paranoia Daniel said he had developed over the years. 

“There has been no sign of anything, O’Neill. Do you sense trouble?” Teal’c asked, for he had come to listen to O’Neill’s ‘sixth sense’ as the Tau’ri called it, for though there was little explanation on what it was or how it worked, it has always proven accurate. 

“Yes and no,” Jack said, taking a look over his shoulder, seeing Daniel squatted down by the wall, writing something, then turned back to look at the ridge, as if talking to Teal’c directly. “Just a feeling I have…” 

**********

Carter was setting up for her next core sample, adjusting the dials to the machine that would punch a hole into the dirt and capture a long tube of earth, to accompany the tiny samples she had collected earlier. They had found that sometimes the surface samples were not proving efficient enough in analyzing a planet for naquadah or other minerals in their survey, having learned the hard way and losing out on a mother lode when one of the ‘nothing’ planets got taken over by Yu and mined very successfully. 

She looked up, listening to Teal’c and the Colonel’s conversation, and overhead Teal’c ask if the Colonel sensed any trouble. She was not a believer in sixth sense or things like that. She believed that it was the Colonel’s experience in the field that gave him his edge, but either way, if he felt there was trouble, she would have to act. 

“Yes and no,” came the Colonel’s reply over Teal’c’s radio. “Just a feeling I have…” he had begun only to be cut off and only static filled the air. 

“O’Neill!” Teal’c called into the radio, sharing a look of concern with Major Carter. When only static persisted, all else was forgotten, as he waited half a second, to see Major Carter going for her P-90 and then he turned and started to run toward the ridge sensing Samantha was right behind him. 

It took him fifteen minutes to reach the top of the ridge and from that distance he could see the remains of the ruins and just make out the form of someone laying on the ground just outside the entrance. There didn’t appear to be any other sign of disturbance. Fearing for his teammates’ lives, he pushed himself harder, knowing Major Carter would catch up as soon as she could. He could hear her voice echoing in the wind, as she tried to contact Daniel Jackson and O’Neill with no success. 

What felt like an eternity to Teal’c, he finally reached O’Neill’s side and knelt next to him and rolled him over, feeling for a pulse and breath…he found both, and was pleased. He could also see the deep bruise on his temple and had blood running from his nose, for it appeared he had been knocked down face first. “He is alive, but injured,” he said to Major Carter as he stood and moved to check the ruins in search of Daniel Jackson, allowing her to tend to O’Neill. 

Taking careful steps, he moved to the entrance and looked inside, but there appeared to be no one, only the remains of Daniel Jackson’s books and backpack, no sign of the man himself. Teal’c moved in all the way and he could see some wind or some force had been here, for the few books that were here were blown aside and any tracks that had belonged to Daniel Jackson or others were now gone. The silent fear that struck his heart at seeing O’Neill on the ground, now spread and grew at not finding Daniel, so Teal’c tried to see if there was a second exit, but could find none. He then moved outside, quickly and quietly, not alerting Major Carter of his actions, as she was tending to O’Neill’s injuries, and searched the perimeter of the ruins…there was nothing. 

“Where’s Daniel?” Sam asked, seeing Teal’c come from around the ruined building. 

“He is missing. There are no tracks or sign of others being here. I am…at a loss as to where he has gone,” Teal’c told her. 

“We need to get the Colonel back to the base, I think he has a concussion as well as a possible broken nose. Whatever happened, hit him hard and fast,” Sam said, containing her fear for the man who was like her little brother being lost, and had to focus on the man injured before her. She needed to take charge now and emotions would come later. “We’ll get help and come back.” 

“Agreed,” Teal’c said, then moved to pick up O’Neill carefully in his arms and began to walk toward the Stargate, that was just over a second ridge to the north of the ruins where they were now. He made sure O’Neill’s head was gently cradled on his chest, and kept his pace fast but steady, so not to bring further harm to the man that had changed his life. He knew many of the Jaffa who had met O’Neill did not see what he did in the man, for they were blinded by the ‘act’ of ignorance, or the outward display of ‘childish’ behavior. They did not see the strength, the passion, the determination, or the powerful, keen intellect that he did. They only gave him the benefit of the doubt because they knew that as former First Prime to Apophis he would not just follow ANYONE. Those that took the time to truly see came to admire and in their own right love O’Neill, those who did not, suffered from their mistakes later.

The thought of how many times O’Neill had shown the fools that dwelled among his brethren and sadly himself and Master Bra’tac included once or twice, that he was more than a ‘dumb Ha’shak’, brought a tiny smile crossed his face. He recalled how O’Neill had tried to warn them over the rebel leader Kytano who turned out to be a Goa’uld, but they wouldn’t listen and had lost many good Jaffa before the truth had been revealed. Now, Teal’c listened very closely to O’Neill…a small sense of guilt starting to creep into his heart. The moment O’Neill had mentioned he’d felt trouble, he should have responded. Perhaps he could have witnessed what had happened and would have some clue to Daniel Jackson’s whereabouts. 

Teal’c saw the Stargate in the distance and saw Major Carter running her heart out to get there before him to dial the gate and contact the SGC. He admired her warrior heart and scientific soul; she was his sister-in-arms, and the first woman to prove to him that women did indeed belong in battle. He also could see how upset she was that Daniel Jackson was missing and knew how deeply she felt for the younger man. She didn’t know how deeply O’Neill felt for the man, that O’Neill loved Daniel Jackson. He knew that O’Neill didn’t want others to know, and sadly, that included Daniel Jackson himself, but to those with eyes, it was clear to behold, and it was on this basis he feared for O’Neill even more. He could see Daniel Jackson had deep feelings for O’Neill as well, but was too unsure in himself, otherwise he would make mention to the two men and bring peace to their souls. But now, once again, Daniel Jackson was missing and he knew it would be another blow to O’Neill’s heart and soul. 

He had come to love and admire O’Neill as one warrior to another who served together through the darkest of trials. O’Neill was not only his warrior brother, but leader and in many ways unknown to the man, his teacher, much as Master Bra’tac was. Though he knew better than to tell the man, for his ego did tend to play too much of a part in the ‘act’, plus it was amusing to make him wonder at such things…but he made sure O’Neill never doubted his loyalty or friendship, and would always do what he could to repay the debt he still felt he owed to O’Neill for all he had in his life and that of the Free Jaffa. 

Teal’c saw Major Carter had the gate open as he approached the stairs to the Stargate, and waited until she gave the all clear, and then leaped into the gate, to let General Hammond know what was going on. Teal’c only hesitated but a moment, looking over his shoulder, making a silent vow to return and find Daniel Jackson. 

************

Jack hated the infirmary with a passion. If it were not for the dizziness he still got when he tried to get up or move too much, he’d be out of his place in a heartbeat, but as it was, he had trouble sitting up by himself, much less making it to the door. Apparently, whatever had happened on the Blue planet…fuck calling it a moon, had left him with a skull fracture, a broken nose and a severe concussion, which had kept him unconscious for three days, today was the third day he’d been awake and there was STILL no word on finding Daniel. 

He knew the only reason he received the updates he got, was because they knew he WOULD rip the IV out of his arm and get them himself otherwise, but they were not good ones. According to Carter, there was no trace of where Daniel went, no energy readings to tie the ‘assault’ as they were calling it to his person and Daniel’s disappearance, and no clues if there had been anyone in orbit…it was like he had vanished without a trace. But there was a trace; there were his books, his backpack, his image still clear and vivid in his mind’s eye. And every time Jack closed his eyes, he could see Daniel and if he slept, he dreamed of Daniel, and when he woke, the first word on his lips…was Daniel…there was a trace, just nothing to help them find him. 

Jack shifted again, feeling a wave of nausea, the concussion making him feel like he had vertigo if he moved too much, but he refused a sedative during the day, Janet ignoring his wishes at night, made him sleep. At least so far today he was able to keep his lunch down…what little he ate of it, and only that because he knew the drill. If he wanted out, he needed to follow the basic rules, then he could get out of this joint and back through the gate to find Danny…he had to find Daniel…had too. Jack closed his eyes and once more saw Daniel standing at the wall, his passion vibrating off him like it was a second life form, and couldn’t help the tiny smile that crawled upon his lips. 

Carter had a distinct walk, not that she knew it or that he would tell her, for he liked messing with her genius mind. “Carter,” he said, knowing she was coming upon him. He opened his eyes and saw the tiny expression that begged to ask how he did that, but she never did, and he wouldn’t tell her anyway. Then he took in her expression and felt his own heart plummet. “Still nothing?” 

“We’ve checked every inch of the ruins, sir…” she shook her head. 

“Did you check the wall?” he asked. 

“Sir, the writings are complex, but from what little they’ve translated, they’re convince…” 

Jack cut her off, “I’m telling you, that’s the key. He was messing with the wall!” 

The beeping of the monitor next to him sounded off, for his blood pressure rocketed along with dizziness from his outburst, and the sound brought Janet running to his bedside. “I told you to take it easy,” she snapped, but her eyes showed how concerned she still was for Jack’s condition. Head injuries were nothing to take lightly. 

“Sorry,” he muttered, unclear if it was to Carter, Janet or both. 

“Sir, I PROMISE you, we’re doing everything we can think of. Teal’c is still there searching…no one’s giving up…” 

“They better not,” Jack growled, though he kept his eyes closed and head still, thus not seeing Janet slip him a sedative. “Never give up,” he said, moments later, the sedative started to take effect. 

“I hate giving him these things, but the stubborn…” Janet bit her tongue for she knew she would say something that could get her into trouble. “He pushed himself too hard and he needs to rest, there is little else we can do but monitor him closely, give him something for the nausea, keep his fluids up and wait. There’s still a bit of swelling of the brain that has me worried, too,” she sighed, glad to see O’Neill was asleep again. 

“Sorry, Janet, but he made me promise to keep him informed,” Sam sighed, fighting back tears of frustration as this was not the time or place for such things. 

“I know,” Janet said, moving and gently took Sam by the elbow and lead her out of the Colonel’s area, pulling the curtains closed to give the man some privacy, then lead her to her office for some coffee. “I take it there is still nothing.” 

“It’s the weirdest thing, Janet. It’s like first he was standing there then he was gone. We’ve searched for tunnels, sign of Goa’uld rings…anything. We’ve got a call into the Asgard and the Tok’ra, but I honestly don’t think they’ll be more successful,” Sam sighed, hating the pessimistic feeling that she had. 

Janet held her cup a long moment, then, deciding, looked up at Sam, “I hate to say this, but…do you think…whatever it was…disintegrated him?” It was a dark and morbid thought, but someone had to bring it to light, as it was a possibility. 

“I don’t think so, there were no traces of ash or DNA…ah…Doctor Relstoff thought of that,” Sam said, feeling guilty that they’d even made the attempt to see if that possibility were true or not. “As I said, no trace, Janet…the General is this close to calling it, and I don’t think the Colonel is going to take that very well,” Sam said, holding her thumb and index finger a fraction apart from one another. 

“No, he won’t take it very well at all…I don’t suspect any of us will,” Janet added, for she knew her friend was a decent person, but they had never discussed gay relationships over the years they’d been friends…just seemed safer that way, and she didn’t know how Sam would take knowing her Commanding Officer was in love with her adopted ‘little brother’. She suspected Teal’c knew, for the man had eagle eyes and missed little, and she knew, because she had seen the Colonel in his most vulnerable state over the years….always over Daniel’s bedside when he was injured or missing…like now. She knew Jack cared for all his team and would go to the wall for anyone on this base, but there was something there between him and Daniel, always had been, and she suspected, no matter what, always would be. 

As for Daniel, the young man was still confused over many things in his life. His acceptance over the fact that he was becoming more soldier than scholar and that the most important person to him in the world was a moody, childish, crabby…sharp-witted, charming, mysterious Colonel in the United States Air Force. She had tried to drop hints about how Jack felt about him but either Daniel didn’t get them or he wasn’t ready. 

“I just don’t know what else to try,” Sam sighed, her hand shaking a bit, as she sipped her coffee. 

“As your best friend and doctor, I call upon my privilege to say, you look like crap. When is the last time you got some sleep?” Janet asked, reaching to take the coffee from Sam. 

“Janet, I can sleep later, the General isn’t going to allow us to keep looking much longer. I need to take advantage of what time I have…I can’t just give up…at least not without trying everything at my disposal,” Sam protested, knowing Janet wanted to order her to bed. 

“Two hours won’t hurt, and there are plenty of others…” Janet tried to explain. 

“No…I have to make sure,” Sam protested and got up, knowing she’d have to rush if she were to get back to and through the gate before Janet could get to the General and force her to remain. “I promise, I’ll get rest when I get back,” she said as she moved out the door only to stop at the appearance of Teal’c. Their eyes met and she could see it, “No…not already. I’m sure…” 

“General Hammond has stepped down the priority of the search for Daniel Jackson. He has ordered you and I to rest or, and I quote, he’ll sick Doctor Fraiser on us,” Teal’c said straight faced, then looked at the fiery physician and gave a slight bow. “I have returned to get some rest before returning in the morning. I suggest you do so as well, Major Carter.” 

Sam felt torn, she was so tired, and as much as she wanted to get back to the ruins, Teal’c was right. “Okay, but you don’t leave without me,” she stated firmly, making Teal’c meet her gaze and with a silent nod, his promise given. 

Janet watched Teal’c walk Sam out of the infirmary, secure that he would see her safely to her quarters before going to his own to rest. Then she went to check on Jack once more, his vitals were steady, but not as good as she would like, but the woman inside her knew why…he was fighting the sedative, wanting to go search for Daniel, though the Doctor in her argued that such things were nonsense…she didn’t listen to the Doctor on these issues much anymore. “Don’t give up, Jack,” she whispered. “You’ll find him, but you need to get better or you won’t be any good to him or anyone,” she added, and then motherly she brushed some graying bangs aside then left to let him sleep. 

************

Miserable didn’t even begin to describe how Jack felt. He was angry, hurt, scared, frustrated, not to mention fed up with military ‘priorities’, as it was so delicately called. Jack was furious, for Daniel was listed MIA and the search called off only after a week and a half of searching, with him trapped in the damn infirmary at the will of one Janet ‘Napoleon’ Fraiser! 

As Jack slowly made his way inside his front door, Teal’c standing next to him, and arm guiding him as he went, a small part of him, deep down hoped Janet would some day forgive him, but the rest of him didn’t give a damn. He turned ‘bad patient’ into an art form to get her to let him out of that place and even then, it had been a long, miserable three weeks…three weeks and no sign of Daniel and worst of all, no one was looking anymore! 

“I can get it,” Jack said, pulling his elbow away from Teal’c’s gentle grip, moving forward to the stairs that would lead to his bedroom. He knew if it were anyone else, he’d go to the kitchen and get a beer, but with his bulldog sitter, and his still weakened condition, he didn’t really stand a chance. The skull fracture was healing nicely, but there was at least another three weeks before Janet would even consider letting him back on light duty. The broken nose was healing a lot faster, the majority of the bruising and swelling were gone, but the two injuries still caused some problems, affecting his balance, and still caused some mild dizziness and nausea, but Janet said it was normal, and with rest, very light exercise…that of going up and down the steps twice a day to start, he’d soon be back to normal. 

Slowly Jack made his way upstairs not in the mood for company, closed the door on Teal’c. He hoped deep down that the big man understood but he didn’t feel like explaining anything at the moment. Once alone, he moved to his bed and opened his nightstand drawer and pulled out a picture of the man he loved, which he kept private. There was nothing sorted about the picture of Daniel, only that it was of Daniel, his hair cut short days after that horrible Hathor incident, and they had been on some planet somewhere, relaxing after getting settled, and Daniel had reached up to a low tree branch and kind of…relaxed, smiling a real smile, first in days after that nightmare, and Carter had captured it on her recording device. Jack loved this picture for it showed the real Daniel, as he liked to think of it. Warm, loving, compassionate, free spirited…the man glowed when he smiled and his eyes lit up, and all of that…every part of Daniel, the good and the bad, touched Jack in some way…and Jack missed him so much. 

“Oh Daniel,” he sighed, wanting to cry, but he had trained himself not to over the years, so it wasn’t something that came easy to him, but he felt he was close. He held the picture, which was in a strong wooden frame to keep it safe, close to his chest, as if by doing so, he was keeping Daniel safe wherever he was too. Jack KNEW he was out there. Knew Daniel was waiting for them to come after him…to rescue him. 

“No one gets left behind, Danny, I swear to you,” Jack promised softly, then felt the wave of guilt, for in truth, he had left Daniel, though he hadn’t intended to. He had left Daniel on Klorel’s ship, dying…no one had thought of the sarcophagus that lay only feet away from them, their minds only on the mission. “I swear,” he said to Daniel’s spirit, sure that somehow the man could hear him. “Had I thought for one moment we were going to survive going to Apophis’ ship…I’d…I’d never…” the tears finally started to fall, after three weeks of being kept at bay. 

“O’Neill, do you require assistance,” Teal’c asked from outside the door. 

Jack wiped his face, reigning in his emotions, and placed the photo away. “I’m fine, Teal’c,” he said, “I’m just going to use the bathroom and then rest,” he added. 

“Very well. I am going to go and purchase substance for our meal this evening. Is there anything you desire I purchase?” Teal’c asked, his concern lacing his words as he spoke. 

“No, get what you think is best,” Jack said, having lost his appetite, again only eating just enough to keep Janet off his back, wanting to get back to the gate and out there…he had to get out there and find Daniel. 

“Very well. Doctor Fraiser stated you are to remain in bed. I shall return in approximately thirty minutes,” Teal’c stated then turned and left. 

Jack waited until he heard the sound of the car Teal’c was using, which he got from the base motor pool, his truck returned weeks ago, and then got up and slowly made his way downstairs and out the door, for though he’d wanted out of the infirmary, his house was not where he wanted to be. 

Jack groaned and growled once he took a few steps from his door, not because he felt ill…though he was starting to, but because he saw that Teal’c had let all the air out of his tires…the alien bastard! “Sneaky son-of-a…” Jack snarled then sighed, for he couldn’t blame Teal’c for knowing him so well. Plus, if it were anyone else, they’d be met with his gun upon their return. He could do that with Teal’c too, but knowing the big guy, he’s take the bullet and make Jack eat it for breakfast…once he woke from getting the crap beat out of him. No…he’ll deal with Teal’c later, there were ways to handle a Jaffa, and Jack did know, but now, he had other plans and needs. 

Jack turned and headed back into the house and making sure he had his wallet and keys went to get his extra cell phone, Carter having confiscated the last one on Janet’s orders, and headed out, locking the door behind him, Teal’c having a spare for emergencies, like they all did. As he started walking up the block, the opposite way Teal’c would have gone to go to the store, Jack dialed the cab company…there was more than one way to skin a Jaffa. 

About the time Jack surmised Teal’c was returning to his place and discovering he was gone, Jack was inside Daniel’s house, having used his spare key. He recalled flat out TELLING Hammond that Daniel would be back and his things were NOT going to be packed away like so many times in the past…No, Daniel was coming back…he had to. 

Jack walked over to the fish tank and noticed it needed some cleaning, but the fish were managing to stay alive, obviously someone was coming by and feeding them along with the plants. Jack moved farther into the living room, turning slowly, his eyes drinking in all the little things that were a part of Daniel’s home…his life, seeking solace in seeing them, being with them. Then Jack took off his jacket and laid it over the sofa and made a mental note to take care of the tank after he laid down a bit, for he was feeling the strain of his trip…both trips, and though he hated to admit it, he was not as well as he would like. So, Jack headed to Daniel’s bedroom and the futon the man had bought instead of the large lush bed he had in his last place which now was in Jack’s master bedroom, for he couldn’t bear to be rid of it when had Daniel ascended…but Daniel was too polite to take it back, even when Jack had tried to insist, so now it was his, but it no longer had Daniel’s scent, thus the reason he was here. 

Jack knew if he were to have any true chance of resting, he needed to connect to the man that had slowly over the years filled his heart and soul, taken over the darkness that had once filled him and replaced it with light and hope. Jack slowly stripped down to his T-shirt and boxers, and slowly laid down, feeling his head starting to spin a bit, but knew once he settled he would be fine…and he was. The bed contained Daniel’s musky scent, and Jack pulled the blankets over him, easily cocooning himself in Daniel’s essence and closed his eyes, immersing himself in Daniel and slept almost as peacefully as if he were in the man’s arms…almost. 

Several hours later, Jack awoke; feeling refreshed got up to use the facilities and noticed the time. He wondered why no one had come here looking for him, it seemed obvious to him this would be where he would go, but as he finished up what his body needed to do, he headed out to the living room and noticed he was very much alone. 

“Jack!” 

Jack turned around and there was Daniel, standing in his BDU’s his face dirty, cut and bruised. “Daniel?” he asked, wondering why Janet would let him out of the infirmary like that. 

“Jack, you have to help me, please,” Daniel begged, reaching out to him. 

Jack tried to move toward Daniel but for some reason couldn’t move. “I’ll help you, Danny, I promise,” Jack said, trying to get his body to cooperate. 

“Jack, don’t leave me behind…don’t leave me behind again…PLEASE!” Daniel begged, and then burst into flames. 

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” 

“Sir…Sir, you all right?” Carter asked, running in to see Jack bolt up in bed, having had a nightmare. 

Jack blinked a few times to get his bearings; yes, he was in Daniel’s bed, but Carter was here…? “Carter?” he asked, looking puzzled. 

“When Teal’c said you went missing, Janet suggested you might be here, so we came here and I used my spare key…” 

“You have a spare key?” he asked, feeling slightly insulted that Carter had one as well as him. Then recalled they all had one. 

“In case of an emergency, though this is the first time I used it,” she smiled a little, seeing the Colonel a bit confused. 

“Ah,” was all Jack said, not sure if that made him feel better or not, for he used his spare key all the time as did Daniel use his key to Jack’s place all the time. “Why didn’t you wake me?” he asked, not sure what to say on the matter. 

“Janet said to let you sleep, that you obviously felt the need to be here and would sleep better. You obviously did, it’s 02:00, sir” she smiled. “I agreed to pull night shift…got the couch.” 

Jack looked and saw it was dark out and it felt late, and from what Carter was telling him, this probably was the longest he had slept without a sedative since he’d gotten injured. “Ah…thanks,” he said, rubbing his hand through his mussed up hair. He was also glad Carter didn’t ask about the nightmare, for not only would he not tell her, it would only make things more awkward then they were. “Sorry to wake you,” he muttered. 

“It’s okay, sir. Janet said to give you your meds, when you woke up, I’ll get you some water and your pills and be back in a moment,” she told him softly, then got up, her blue silk pajamas doing absolutely NOTHING for her, which is probably why she’d chosen them for tonight, as she walked out of the bedroom. 

Jack just sat there, letting the remnants of the dream slip away, though he knew parts of it were from the ship and another from when Nem had taken Daniel and made them all think he was dead. But the message was clear; Daniel was counting on him, and the only…ONLY lead he could think of was that damn wall. He had tried to convince Hammond to let him go back to the planet, but a snowball in Ne’tu had a better chance of that, so he tried to convince him to send others, and pushed the wall as the key, but Hammond said no one in Daniel’s department had found anything of any use. “Idiots,” he growled to himself. 

“Sir?” Carter asked as she walked back in, a bottle of water in one hand and pills in the other. 

“Nothing,” Jack grumbled as he took the pills and chased them down with the water. He then sat there for a long time, sipping the water, essentially ignoring Carter then he came to a decision. “Carter…would you do me a favor?” 

“If I can, sir. But I tell you now, Janet promised painful retribution if any of us gave you a beer,” she told him honestly. 

Jack groaned a little, but that wasn’t what he wanted. “I know this will sound…odd, but, will you get me a copy of Daniel’s notes…the ones from the planet?” 

“Sir?” Odd didn’t cover this request. 

“I have three weeks I have to remain mostly in bed or sitting on the couch and there isn’t enough hockey or Simpsons to keep me busy…please, Carter,” he said, using a bit of the puppy-dog look that usually worked when Daniel used it.

Sam didn’t know how to take the request, for the Colonel never took that much of an interest in Daniel’s work, then the light went on. He wanted to see for himself if there was something they’d overlooked…that he wasn’t going to take anyone else’s word on it, and in truth, she didn’t blame him. Daniel was his best friend and he was missing. So, as odd as it was, she couldn’t deny his request, especially with that look on his face, plus, Janet had said the Colonel should do some light reading…not like the Colonel would be able to make heads or tails out of what was there anyway. “Okay, I’ll get you what I can…but tomorrow. For now, go back to sleep and get some more rest. Teal’c said he’d bring breakfast.” 

“Thank you,” Jack said, not only for the book but also for Carter not cooking. He’d get Nyan to supply him with photocopies of the wall. The young alien that came to work with Daniel after saving them from the military of their world, and both he and Daniel had been glad he wanted to rejoin Daniel as his assistant, upon Daniel’s descending. He knew it was a massive long shot, but since he was forced to stay put….he’d do it in Daniel’s place and see if he could find what the others missed, solely because HE was more determined. 

************

It didn’t take long for General Hammond to get wind of what Jack was doing and in his own subtle way try to bring it to an end. Jack knew that was why he was in his office a week and half earlier than Janet had predicted on ‘light duty’, faced with the never-ending pile of paperwork. But apparently Hammond didn’t know his 2IC as well as he thought, for Jack was determined to discover the secrets of the wall, and before Hammond ordered the linguistic department NOT to help Jack or supply him with any information about the wall on P7X-993, he had all he needed copied on disc and worked on it every free moment he had, which Hammond was trying to fill with paperwork…screw paperwork! 

Janet was also not helping his cause, for though she supported him staying at Daniel’s for a few days, she soon insisted he return to his house, going so far as to threaten to post SFs at Daniel’s place and having him locked in an isolation room…bitch! But Jack had suspected as much there too, so he had searched out Daniel’s laundry for three shirts that smelled of his scent, even got his cologne, and snatched up any book he thought would aid in his attempt to tackle the translation of the wall. He was thankful that Daniel had many books in his private library that would appear innocent to the outside observer. He was also thankful to fate and the time-loop that had forced him to learn Ancient Latin or he’d really be lost without a chance in hell, for he was sure the fact he knew Spanish wouldn’t have been enough. 

Looking at the report before him, Jack tossed his pen down, sick of the sight of paperwork, not only because he hated it, but also because it was keeping him from finding Daniel. He believed with all his soul that the wall was the key to finding him and when he tried to explain this AGAIN to Hammond, he was told ‘officially’ to ‘let it go’. 

“Let it go,” Jack muttered, leaning into his hands, his elbows perched on the desk, bracing his head, but his heart was much too heavy for anything to carry it and Jack felt like he was drowning. “I could stop breathing before I could let Daniel go,” he whispered to himself. Jack scrubbed his face and growled. Didn’t Hammond know that he couldn’t let it go, for everywhere he looked, there was Daniel…his people, his influence…hell the gate itself a constant reminder that Daniel had been there…didn’t he understand, that his second in command was missing over half his soul?

“Apparently not,” Jack sighed, leaning back into his chair, feeling he was done for the day. He knew he could probably push himself more, but Janet had left him an out, that of he could leave when he felt overtaxed…well he was, with this job…with EVERYTHING! Jack looked at the picture on the corner of his desk of his team, for it would look suspicious if he only had Daniel’s picture there, not that he didn’t care for all his team, but he LOVED Daniel and missed him so much. Hell, he couldn’t even ‘miss’ the man properly, for fear that someone would find out…yet at this point he was beginning not to care. He picked up the picture, and saw himself standing next to Daniel, Carter on the other side, Teal’c just to his right, but it was the smile on his love’s face that captured his attention. 

He reached out his index finger and attempted to trace that smile, but his finger was too large and covered his love’s face, so he stopped. “I was silent out of respect for your wife, then out of fear of losing your friendship and the military…I don’t care about the military anymore,” he said, feeling the sting of tears once again in his eyes, as they came readily whenever he thought of his love out there alone somewhere lost and waiting for him to rescue him, which was often. “I don’t care about anything anymore…just bringing you home…safe…alive. You have to stay alive, Danny, you have to…” 

A knock at his door, snapped him out of his despair as he put the picture back where it had been sitting. “Come,” he shouted, anger filling his tone, for he didn’t want to be disturbed or bothered, especially with any more paperwork nonsense. 

It was Walter with MORE paperwork…lovely. 

“Sorry, sir,” Walter said as he laid the folders in Jack’s IN box and took the ones from his OUT box, a bit surprised there were so many. “Also, I’m to remind you, General Hammond will be leaving today for Washington. Colonel Reynolds will be on the night shift, sir,” Walter informed him before departing, seeing the glare of get in and get out ASAP. 

Jack watched the door close and knew at that moment he’d been given a golden opportunity. The moment he even thought of what he was considering doing, the cascade of repercussions rolled right with it, but he found none of them mattered. He knew in that instant…Daniel really WAS everything to him. 

Jack closed the folder before him, his mind made up on the course of action he needed to take…he was done waiting around, and got to his feet. He had preparations to make, for contrary to what many thought of him, he was no idiot and not so quick to jump without knowing how the crap would fall, if and when it would fall, and in this case, it would pour down, but he knew he no longer had a choice. His very existence was at stake and he was going to fight for it.

*************

The hour was late and he knew many were not expecting him to be on base, which was so much the better. He had quietly slunk around the base, putting his plans in place, quietly sending one guard or SF to one location for one bizarre reason or another, leaving fewer and fewer personnel by the gate room and the control room. He’d even sent Reynolds on a wild goose chase, leaving him alone with only two men from the nightshift. 

“Wilson, where is the CDC-7 report?” Jack asked, knowing full well where it was, for he had misplaced it himself. 

Wilson, new to the SGC family, turned and got up from his seat to go retrieve the report only to find it missing. “Sir? I ah…” 

“Go find it, Airman,” Jack stated firmly, giving the poor man a look that would send him scurrying. Now he was down to one. “Airman, how many teams do we have offworld?” he asked, already knowing the answer, but wanted to double-check. 

“Just SG-5, sir,” the Airman replied as he double-checked his log. “They are due to check in about five minutes, sir.” 

“Ah, good,” Jack nodded, taking notice that no one else was around and wouldn’t be unless alarms went off. “Bring up P7X-993 and dial the gate,” Jack stated firmly. 

“Sir?” the Airman asked, for he had no previous notification of a team going out tonight. 

“If you’re not capable of doing your job, Airman, I’ll get someone who can,” Jack snapped, knowing his reputation as a hard ass was going to help him out here. 

“No, sir…I mean…yes, sir…ah…brining up P7X-993 now, sir,” the nervous Airman said and entered his authorization code, just as Jack wanted. Anyone else’s code would sound the klaxons and he wanted to avoid that. He then moved purposely right behind the Airman, his back blocking the security camera from seeing the Airman fully and brought his hand out of his pocket and the rag covered in a mild sedative, which he held over the man’s face, keeping his own body stiff and not allowing the Airman’s struggle to be noticed. Then he replaced the rag in the plastic bag in his pocket and while he held the man upward in his seat. Then Jack shifted the man’s body to remain seated and not slump over, and then moved to get to work, locking out the computer, then set the computer to shut itself off…simple things he knew, but he had a trick up his sleeve that should buy him a few hours if not more. He’d have to make the best of the time he had, there was no two ways about it. 

Once he was done, Jack hurried down the step and grabbed his stuff sitting by the gate room door and ran through the gate room up the ramp and through the wormhole and was gone. 

***********

Colonel Reynolds walked into the control room and saw the mess of wires and equipment Carter had spread everywhere and was doubly mad at O’Neill, for though he admired the man, he couldn’t possibly understand his doing this…going AWOL through the gate and crippling them like this? Well, perhaps he could a little, for the Airman had just woken up, unharmed, in the infirmary and told them the Colonel’s destination and if his memory served, it was the planet…er…moon where Daniel Jackson had disappeared, but still. “Any luck, Major?” he asked, hoping to get the gate up and running and get O’Neill back before he had to call Hammond in Washington DC.

“I don’t understand it, sir,” Carter sighed in frustration. “Everything I do I still can’t get the computer to work fully,” she said, gesturing to the blank black monitors. I got the power up, but…” she sighed again. “I’ve sent for more equipment,” she told him. 

“You honestly think the Colonel…did…” he gestured to the computer, not knowing what to say. Jack O’Neill made a huge deal out of letting everyone know he knew nothing about computers and didn’t like them, how could he stump Carter, their resident expert? 

“I…” Carter didn’t know what to say, as she didn’t know what Colonel O’Neill had done. One couldn’t read or analyze what one couldn’t read if the monitors all remained blank. 

“Do what you can, Major…” Reynolds said, “I’ll be on the phone to General Hammond,” he added, resigning himself to his fate and sadly Colonel O’Neill to his as well. 

“Sir, do you have to?” Carter asked, knowing what was at stake. 

“It’s been over three hours, and you’re nowhere near getting us up and running…I have to call him. I wish I didn’t…but…” he sighed. “The Colonel would understand,” he said, knowing Jack would expect nothing less, no matter what he himself had done. 

Carter nodded, and knelt down among her mess of wires and mainframe, and got back to work, just as one of her team brought in an extra monitor, in case the monitors were damaged. She quickly got up and hooked in the spare wires she had ready for the monitor’s arrival, and saw the various and multiple windows, but the picture was very dark. 

“Oh, sorry, Major,” the Sergeant said, moving to adjust the brightness and contrast, bringing up the color and picture better. “I don’t like the glare very much,” he added. 

Carter just stared at the Sergeant and at the screen and recalled how the Colonel complained about the same thing… “No,” she said, shaking her head as if trying to get the weird thought out of her head. “It…It can’t be that…that simple,” she muttered and turned to the offending monitors and walked the few steps and reached over and rolled the brightness control hidden in the back and sure enough…the picture returned along with the mess she saw on the other monitor. “That low down, dirty….” She started to swear, but a clearing of a throat by Colonel Reynolds who had not gotten far, stopped her from saying more…much more. 

“…Rat,” she finished off with instead. 

“I take it you have found the problem, Major?” Reynolds asked, not sure if he was doing a good job of hiding the smirk from his face. As he watched Carter try to control her temper, he recalled what O’Neill told him once…never overlook the simple and obvious…seemed Carter forgot that rule…as had the other techs. 

“Ah….yes, sir,” Carter said, feeling embarrassed and couldn’t believe she was shown up by Colonel O’Neill…O’Neill! 

“So, how long will it take you to…” he gestured to the mess. 

“Um…I’ll have to see what my…ah…” Carter stumbled over the words. 

“Fixing?” Reynolds suggested, giving Carter and out. 

“Yes, fixing…messed up. After that, should only be a few more hours…sir,” she said, feeling absolutely humiliated.

“Get to it, Major, and inform me when you’re done,” Colonel Reynolds said, turning so Major Carter wouldn’t see him snickering, the rest of the personal just covered their mouths or found something else to do. 

“I’ll get you for this, Colonel,” Carter muttered under her breath as she started to undo the mess she’d accidentally created by not being able to see all the results of her…’fixing’. 

***********

Jack stared at the wall and his notes, going over them again and again, shaking his head, as he unconsciously chewed on a pencil, then erased something and then wrote something else, then looked at the wall again, then after a long moment, tossed his notebook and pencil at the wall. 

“IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY FUCKING SENSE!” Jack shouted with anger and frustration, actually kicking the wall, pounding on it. “You stupid piece of crap, give my Danny back,” he growled, actually beating on the wall. Then Jack stepped back and pulled his gun and pointed it at the wall, but something inside made him stop from shooting…that little voice that told him over and over again this was the key to finding Daniel and if he damaged it he could lose his only lead. Jack put the gun away and stumbled back until his back hit the wall and slid down, his body filled with defeat. 

“I’m sorry, Danny,” he said, no longer able to fight back the tears and the pain, and bowed his head and pulled his knees to his chest and cried. “I let you down…I didn’t mean to…I just…” he sobbed some more, burying his face in his knees. The pain and anguish of seeing his love’s face every time he closed his eyes, felt the heartache with every breath, now overwhelmed him as did the knowledge that he couldn’t get the wall to work…couldn’t get to his Daniel and soon the others would come and take him back, where he would be locked up…imprisoned… 

Jack slowly raised his head, his face red from tears and anger and slowly moved on to his hands and knees, which was not far, to get his notebook; one of Daniel’s new ones which was still blank, and opened it to his final pages and read what he had placed there, speaking only select words, “Freedom, No-freedom, Truth, Untruth, Judgment passed upon the wall…” he then looked at the wall and groaned as if something hurt him more physically then all the weight of his failure to date. 

A slight squawk came over his radio…a little tripwire he had set up at the gate to another radio, now informing him, they had arrived…time was up…or was it? “Not now, not now,” Jack growled for he had an idea, but if he wanted a chance to try it, he would have to avoid the SG team that was now heading his way. He moved quickly, keeping most items together just for this reason, and moved to the entrance. He then tied a rope to the packs, one with Daniel’s books, the other supplies in case they were needed. Then Jack purposely left the pack and walked quickly but steadily to the tree line and then carefully retraced his steps as he walked backwards. It was an old trick, but it just might buy him time, and that was what he needed, though he was unsure if he would be able to do much, as the sun was setting. 

Once Jack was back at the entrance, he turned grabbed the rope and tied it to his waist and then carefully climbed the ruin building’s wall, from the archway, not using his feet, as that would cause noticeable scrapes on the old stone, so his knees were taking a double beating, but if he found Daniel…everything, every sacrifice would be well worth it. Once he was over, he did a quick visual scan of the roof, saw where the leaves from the trees gathered, knowing that was where the low points in the roof were, then straddled the edge and pulled up the packs. 

Once he got them up, he moved carefully, knowing the building was old, and moved to the right corner, pushed aside the leaves and dirt, so not to find any surprises, then rolled out his sleeping bag, and then laid the backpacks out, for there was enough ledge that if one laid flat, they could hide, and that was his plan. He could hide in the woods, but then he’d have to make his way back here, this way, if by any small chance they fell for his trick and searched the woods, he just might be able to slip down and back in…it was a long shot, but so was his coming here. Once everything was laid out so nothing would show over the ledge or light bounce off it, Jack laid down on the sleeping bag, pulled his binoculars, got two large leaves, put a hole in the center of both and held them over the front portion, this way he could look and see who was coming with little chance of glare hitting the lenses and giving his position away. 

Jack saw the figures of two men, figuring whoever it was had split the team, two at the gate and two to investigate the ruin…something he would have done as well…well, perhaps he’d bring an extra team and of course, he’d have Teal’c. Jack quietly turned to his back and waited, listening to the two soldiers move around. They were obviously not trying to sneak around, so Jack could make out their movements with ease and could hear them talking as well. It was SG-4 by the sound of Lt. Colonel Ellison’s voice, informing Lieutenant Aims to check around back and look for any other tracks than those they found at the entrance way. Jack listened to them searching, and Ellison contacting his 2IC Larson to contact the SGC for further orders, and heard the reply that they were to stay put and wait for Teal’c to join them in the morning, which meant, Jack was staying put for the night.

Jack laid there quietly, able to tell Ellison and Aims moved off a bit, to set up their tents, obviously not keen on using the ruin building for a shelter, and since it was the last place and possibly responsible for the disappearance of Doctor Jackson, Jack didn’t blame them. It also gave him a bit of breathing room, but Jack still knew he would have to be quiet. It was almost like old times in Special Ops…where he had to keep watch, sometimes almost on top of the enemy, never making a sound. It would be hard, but he could do it again. 

It would also give him time to think of what he had concluded from reading that damn wall. For if he was right, you set the wall by moving some of the areas and it read like some fancy-smancy judgment, one way announcing you were a true and just man and free, to paraphrase, and another announcing that you were found guilty of untruths and other crimes and would be ‘un-free’ was how it translated or as close as he got, but Jack now felt he knew the word…imprisoned. And if that was the case, Daniel had accidentally tripped off the damn thing and was now in some prison! 

Jack closed his eyes and a lone tear ran down his cheek. It was hard not to imagine his Danny in a prison, but the images now plagued him and he knew they would continue to do so. He imaged a place that was a cross between what he knew of prisons back on Earth and that place Hadante, where they’d met the ‘Destroyer of Worlds’ the first time, and shivered. He shook his head, trying to knock the vision away and made himself focus on the rest…something about having the truth in the palm of your hand, you were free to come and go or go and return….but it was unclear, the whole thing was like some damn riddle. 

He forced himself not to sigh, this was Daniel’s field of expertise, and though he had mounds and mounds of respect for what Daniel did, that respect grew proportionately after all the hard work he himself had done, going back to Nyan over and over again to double check what he had, plus he had Daniel’s notes and the other translations from the other members of Daniel’s department. But they had not discovered the second message, even if he did tell them about the wall and how parts moved. It seemed that if you moved certain sections, which were small and could be overlooked, you got the one message, and if you turned others, the second message, and….the interesting thing was, if you left them long enough, they reset themselves…and if you read it alone, it was nothing but a bunch of nonsense…at least to him it was. 

Crap, he thought quietly to himself, now doubting his own conclusions. He couldn’t go back and ask, for they’d never let him come back, so that was not an option. Jack believed he knew how to make the wall work again and would write it out, just like he knew Daniel would if he had known about it before hand, and set the book aside. If he was right, it was a one-way ticket…but if he could find Daniel…it didn’t matter. He’d been in prison before; he’d look after Daniel and protect him. Daniel didn’t need as much protection as he had in the beginning; the man had learned to take care of himself well enough on his own, but…Jack knew that looking after Daniel was just what he needed to do…like breathing. 

Jack wiped the lone tear off his face, fighting away the fear that was gripping his soul, as his active imagination wandered the minefield of horrible possibilities, each vision of Daniel hurt, beaten, bruised, reminded him that Daniel had been there before and survived them as well, and Jack believe that he could survive whatever was tossed at him now. Daniel would live, he’d keep his faith that he’d be rescued, that…that Jack…he…would come, and he would some how he would. Hours passed as Jack fought the images of horror with memories of how strong and capable Daniel was and found comfort in them as he rested and waited for his chance to try his theory and hopefully be reunited with Daniel. 

***********

Jack woke at first light without making a sound, his training coming in handy, allowing him to sleep lightly and not give his position away. He felt more than heard activity and quietly, ignoring his aching body, rolled onto his stomach and peeked over the small wall and saw that Ellison and Aims were being joined by Teal’c, and Jack felt his hope begin to plummet, for Teal’c was the best tracker in the SGC, he surely would not fall for his lame trick. 

“These tracks belong to O’Neill,” Teal’c said, his voice calm and clear. “They lead to the tree line,” Teal’c informed the two men and walked to the tree-line and Jack took a moment to peek out again, and noticed that Aims was right below him, never looking up. In fact, neither Aims nor Ellison checked the roof or even looked up as far as he could tell. It was one of the things he noticed a lot of lesser-trained people, they didn’t look up. 

Jack closed his eyes as if hit with a hammer, he hadn’t looked up either, and though he wasn’t sure it mattered, he would have to at least try it…if he got a chance. He peeked again and saw Teal’c stop at the tree line…this was it, he’d know he didn’t go into the woods… 

“I believe O’Neill entered here,” Teal’c said clearly and headed into the woods, with both Ellison and Aims behind him. 

“Thank you, Teal’c,” Jack whispered; knowing his Jaffa friend was buying him time. It was time he wasn’t going to waste. Once he was sure Teal’c and the others were far enough in the woods not to hear his movements, he gathered his stuff and slipped over the edge, down the wall and moved to the entranceway of the ruined temple. He hurried inside, placing the bag with Daniel’s books to the side, keeping only his pack and supplies close by. 

He was about to reach for the wall, when he recalled his thought from the roof and just for the heck of it…looked up…and gaped. There on the ceiling was another inscription in a circle pattern around what looked like a bronze eye, but not an Egyptian one, more of a regular human eye. Jack grabbed his notebook and looked for any words that he might know or translated and recognized the word truth right away. He took a few moments and surprised himself by translating the words in under ten minutes…a record for him. 

“The truth is within your reach,” Jack sighed, as the words on the ceiling became clear to him. He looked up and arched a brow, as the ceiling was most certainly NOT within reach. He’d have to get a stepladder, even Teal’c would. “A lie in a temple that prizes truth?” Jack pondered out loud. “That can’t be right…could it?” he wondered. After a long few seconds, Jack shrugged, for if he looked foolish, no one but himself would know, and reached upward with his right hand and was surprised when his fingers came into contact with something. It was like a strange gel-like substance which shimmered, revealing that the distance was an optical illusion, and the eye was indeed in reach, and thus grabbed it…and bit his lip from the pain, as his hand burned when he touched the eye, but it, whatever it was, would not let him go…when it did, Jack cradled his hand to his chest, the pain soothing quickly, and then to his amazement stopped. He looked and saw the image of the eye not only burned into his palm, but a strange silver-bronze…ink or something had filled in the indentations of his skin, giving the tattoo or mark more substance and making it more prominent. 

Jack was not happy with his new mark, but at least it stopped hurting. Jack flexed his fingers and hand, and it felt normal, but he had a feeling the mark was going to be there for some time. “Great,” he muttered, then stopped, and looked at the wall. He recalled the passage of something about having the eye of truth in his palm, and moved forward to seek it out. When he reached out to touch the wall, in search of the section, he noticed the wall light up, the lines becoming illuminated…a power source activated that Carter had not picked up. 

Jack took a step back and noticed that all the sections of the wall light up but for one in the bottom right corner…the same corner Daniel had been looking at when he’d disappeared. “That must be the ‘go to prison’ switch,” Jack said, feeling hope flourish in his chest. He grabbed his notebook, and wrote what he knew and discovered and what he was about to do in the book, then placed it along with Daniel’s books aside, so they would be safe and discovered if things went wrong. Once that was done, Jack reached out and turned the segments that made the wall call forth judgment of guilt, all remaining light but the last one…the last one that had the word ‘now’ etched upon it in the alien language, and triggered the sentence to be carried out. Jack turned it. 

**********

Every breath he had taken since he had arrived to this hell some several weeks ago, he had regretted turning that last segment in the wall. He saw it was talking about a judgment being passed, but he had no way of knowing he was literally sentencing himself to this nightmare. 

Upon his arrival he’d noticed the change for the sunlight was yellow as it was on many of the other planets he had been to, compared to the blue light of the other place. He’d stood and moved to the exit and had seen the building he stood in was upon a plateau and had about ten steps leading down to the ground and the dwellings of stone before him. He’d spotted the people that lived here and had done what he always did, try and make contact…it had only led him to the ‘supervisor’ as best as he could translate, who had pretty succinctly informed him, he was a prisoner here for life and he’d better get used to it. His pleas that it was a mistake, that he was an explorer and that the place he had come from was destroyed, had fallen not only on deaf ears, but had angered the Supervisor…Daniel had spent a week, possibly two, in a dark, dank dungeon, chained to a wall like an animal, though he was given food, if you could call it that, and water, twice a day and had otherwise been ignored. 

After that, he had been dragged before the Supervisor again and had been instructed to keep his heinous claims to himself and that his lies were what had gotten him sent here in the first place. He had tried to explain, once again, that they were not lies…but this had gotten him ten lashes on his back and thrown back into the dungeon for another undetermined amount of time. 

Daniel hated the dungeon, for he hated being alone, and tried calling out but no one responded to him. Not even the guard, dressed in some monk like robe, looked at him when he brought his meals; some slop with a thick slice what could only be considered hard bread and water. But Daniel had no choice, and considered the many other dungeons he had been in, the constant beatings he had endured over the years and was a bit grateful not to be beaten. As time past he started to think that perhaps this was much worse. To be placed away as if you didn’t mattered and ignored over time and he was sure he was forgotten. 

Time seemed to be the one thing Daniel had plenty of, and his thoughts wandered from when SG-1 was coming to get him, to how stupid he was to not listen to Jack’s warning. Sure most of the time things were safe, but there had been one too many times something had happened when he or Sam had touched something…no wonder Jack had grown so paranoid over the years. 

Jack…he so missed the man. Missed his smile, his smug expression when he was right and wanted to say “I told you so”, boy did he want to hear that voice again…hell, he’d take the words too if it meant seeing Jack and getting the hell out of this place, for he knew Jack would find a way to get him home. Jack always brought his people home, always. It was this faith that kept him going over the days and nights that were passing, even when the anger came because they had not shown up and he was still HERE! 

When Daniel was cold he envisioned Jack bouncing off the wall over one thing or another. Bouncing off his sofa over a stupid hockey game, which he now knew more about than he ever wanted…that wasn’t true. He wanted to know more about what Jack liked so much so he could share it with him, share time with him, be with him. Jack had always been a strange force of nature in his life, always there, dependable, yet unpredictable at times. The man came off as a hard ass, but get him around kids or folks in need, he was the most kind and gentlest man he’d ever seen. To Daniel, Jack was simply an amazing man, who seemed to really believe he was just a simple person…Jack was many things; simple was not one of them. 

********

Once he got out of the dungeon again, Daniel was NOT taken to the supervisor but taken to another, whose title he didn’t recall as it was never repeated again, and assigned what he gathered was the lowest position in the prison, cleaning the latrine…can we say GROSS! 

At least he was given ‘tools’ with which to do the job and instructed to remain silent as he worked, which Daniel tried, but found it difficult, but managed not to get caught. He learned that this place was a prison ran by a monastery of some sort and that the guards were not regular guards but monks who believed it their calling to oversee the violators. He could not find out who they worshiped, only that their doctrines spoke about the truth and the eye of truth, but not much more, for it seemed prisoners were denied access to such teachings, so Daniel learned little of the people that surrounded him and that angered him more, for if he were going to be ‘stuck here’ he wanted to learn, but he was denied, and that too was a harsh punishment to face. 

Only once had he had to worry about another prisoner trying to touch him, but between Jack and Teal’c, he could defend himself well, and he had built up his body and learned a few dirty tricks from Jack and Sam. But thankfully that hadn’t been necessary, for the monks had kept a close eye on everyone and the man had been caught and dragged to the center of the yard among the many dwellings and had been publicly castrated. By the looks on many of the prisoners’ faces, and a few reactions, he could tell this had happened often at one time, but now many were too afraid for themselves to even consider forcing themselves on another. Especially as it seemed there was no leniency when it came to certain rules, this one being one of them, as the monk who spoke stated it was the man’s first and final violation. 

It was during the long, lengthy speech that had followed that he had learned that sex was forbidden, apparently masturbation included…Daniel hadn’t thought then and still didn’t think now that that would be a problem. But some nights as he laid alone in the cold dark, his dreams filled of Jack’s smile, his lean body, his earthy sent, and he would feel aroused. But between knowing he was being watched and his uncertainty of his feelings for the man, he did nothing about it. 

Daniel soon after that had gained ‘free time’ where he could practically go anywhere he wanted, except the main Temple, which was not the building he’d come from, or the rectory where the monks dwelled. His restriction to talking had been lifted during his free time, but he’d found many hadn’t wanted to talk to him or each other from what he’d observed, so he’d had to learn what he could from observation. 

He’d learned that there were no women on the planet, that outside of the buildings there was only a massive desert, so there was no need for fences to keep the prisoners from running; you ran you died in the desert alone. Daniel also had learned by going to the room he’d appeared in that he was stuck here…the writing on the wall told all who could read it, that only those with the eye of truth in the palm of their hand could depart. None of the sections of the wall here moved…he really was stuck and as much as he hoped to see the others, he feared them getting stuck here too. 

After behaving and following the rules for several weeks Daniel had gotten a ‘promotion’ as it were from cleaning latrines to scrubbing floors, and this had allowed him to at least overhear conversations among the monks, who had ignored him, unless correcting him…first was a verbal warning, second was a lash on the back…third was the dungeon again…Daniel had avoided the dungeon as much as he could, only going to his ‘cell’ at night, where he was allowed to be unchained, and locked in for the night. Meals were served in a common room where talk was restricted except for the monks and prayer. 

Daniel had learned that prisoners still arrived, but none from where he had come from, or so he could assume, for he’d heard someone say it had been many months since they’d had contact with Norada, which had to be the place he’d come from…had to be. He kept hoping someone would go check it out, so they would learn he spoke the truth and let him go…but no one went…no one came and no one knew he spoke the truth about the place he had come from being no more. 

The dreams of Jack were coming more and more constantly, as was the ache in his soul, for he hadn’t realized how much it meant to him to see Jack everyday. To see his smile, his dark eyes twinkle when he was up to something; to hear his voice when he spoke or just his strong presence…watching over him, keeping him safe. He realized as he sat in his cell, sleep a stranger to him, that his confusion over Jack was fear. He feared losing his friendship with the man, but how could he feel this deeply for Jack and not have it returned?

He recalled some of the comments Janet would make when he was visiting and Cassie was out of the room and Jack became a topic of discussion. Something about still waters running deep, more than met the eye and the last was trust your heart, it won’t lead you wrong. Somehow she had known and if she were right, he knew that perhaps Jack did have feelings for him. But even if they were not sexual, he knew Jack loved him, simply by everything the man did for him. 

From the very beginning since the day he arrived at the SGC, Jack had been there, guiding him through the darkness, giving him strength and confidence to fight for what he believed in. Providing support, be it silently or with a pat on the back or a touch here and there…Jack was the only one he let touch him so readily, the only one he now understood he wanted to touch in return…he loved the man, was in love with him. Daniel vowed if he ever…NO…WHEN he saw Jack again, he’d tell him, for he believed in Jack. He didn’t believe in much anymore, so many false gods strained his personal beliefs, but Jack…Jack never let him down when it counted…and this counted big time. 

**********

Daniel carried his bucket of water and scrub brush, his hands sore and blistered from all the scrubbing he had been doing, his head down in thought as he moved to dump the dirty contents, and didn’t see the monk that was coming in and the two collided, both falling to the ground, the bucket of dirty water spilling over the monk’s robes and whatever scrolls he was carrying. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Daniel said, quickly getting to his feet, and reaching to help the monk to his feet, but the middle-aged man slapped his hand away and started shouting for the others and before Daniel knew it, he was being grabbed and dragged to the center of the yard where all punishments took place and from what few he’d witnessed, they were never light. 

“It was an accident,” he called out, struggling against the men that were dragging him further outside. “I didn’t mean any harm…” he tried to say, but no one was listening to him. He was dragged to a poll, his hands tied above his head, his back to everyone, and his shirt of the sack-like cloth that he as well as the rest of the prisoners were made to wear, was cut from his body…they were going to lash him again. “Please, it was an accident,” he said again, for he still bore the stripes from the last beating and at night they still gave him cause for pain. 

The man whom he had knocked down had come to stand before him and started prattling something at him, but it was too fast for Daniel to understand, since he was not allowed to talk much, he did not get a lot of practice with the language. All he could make out was holy text and defiled and damaged, but the fifty lashes was perfectly clear. “No…wait, I didn’t do it on purpose…please,” he said, just before the first strike struck his back. 

***********

Jack felt a bit dizzy after he turned the last section, and then blinked a few times and stood up and turned to see he was NOT standing in the same building he had been. He grinned, for this HAD to be where Daniel had gone. He looked at the wall and saw a new bunch of writing and reached out to it, to see if any of it turned, and immediately it lit up and in the center looked like the wall bent, like a distortion. Jack thought about touching it, but then decided against it. It was probably the way home and he was NOT leaving here without Daniel. When he stepped way about a good five feet, the wall went back to being simple dead stone. “Interesting,” he muttered. Then a shout of pain caught his attention. 

Daniel had tried not to cry out, not wanting to give them the satisfaction, but after the fifth hit, his back still sensitive from the cuts that he could surmise had not healed all that well, it was impossible to remain silent, the pain shooting all over. By the seventh, his body was sweating from the pain, the injury to his body, the heat and from fear of the more to come. 

Jack moved to the exit and looked out and saw a group of people surrounding a smaller group and someone was getting whipped from the looks of it. He moved down a few steps and there was no mistaking it…it was DANIEL! “Sons-of-a-bitches,” he snarled and took a step up, to give him a better angle and with practiced precision, took aim, set his P-90 to single shot, and fired at the man who was hurting his Danny. 

Daniel tried to brace himself as he could see by the shadow on the ground, the whip being raised to deliver the eighth blow, but the echo of gunfire and the scream of pain from the monk behind him, stopped the process. Daniel looked over his shoulder and saw the monk’s hand bleeding, the whip on the ground. He also saw everyone facing the ‘gateway’ as they called the building in which he arrived and there on the steps was the most beautiful sight in his life…JACK! 

“Think that got everyone’s attention,” Jack smirked darkly, as he saw the crowd turn and face him, parting like the Red Sea as he stepped down and started to move forward toward Daniel. Some man in red and gray robes started to approach while prattling at him, his expression dark and foul. Jack wasn’t going to play games with these people, and raised his P-90 and pointed at an area free of people and shot off a round, to let them know what his gun could do. “Now, if you don’t want a personal taste or anyone getting killed, back the fuck off,” he snarled, keeping a wary eye on everyone, as he drew closer to Daniel. 

“Jack…Jack,” Daniel called out, relieved and yet in pain. 

“Don’t worry, Danny, we’re getting out of here,” Jack said as he moved up next to Daniel, taking in his scruffy face, weeks of beard growth upon it, and though he looked beautiful.

“Jack…this place…this place is…” 

“A prison, I know,” Jack said, taking his side knife and cutting Daniel free, using his left arm to grab Daniel and offer the man support, the right, holding his gun and keeping it pointed at the robed men, the others simply moving further back. 

Again one of the men in robes started to shout something. “You know what he’s babbling about?” Jack asked Daniel as he slowly started to move back toward the place he had come from. 

“He said there is no escape from here,” Daniel said, trying to gather his strength to walk on his own, not wanting to burden Jack further. “He says you’ll pay dearly for weapons of any kind are forbidden. Jack, there’s no way out of here,” Daniel told him, fear for the man he loved beginning to overwhelm him. 

“Have some faith, Danny-boy,” Jack smiled, his eyes warm and loving. 

Daniel took one look into Jack’s eyes and his fears faded, he believed at that moment if Jack commanded it, they would fly, no matter how silly it sounded, that look, that smile was all he needed. “Okay,” he said. 

Jack saw Daniel’s blue eyes, though pain filled, brighten and the small smile that crossed his face. His one word of faith filled Jack with more confidence than all the experience in the universe. He gently shifted Daniel against him better and increased his pace back to the building. He now knew why none of the monks tried anything for they believed there was nowhere for them to go and it would only be a matter of time before they got their retribution…Jack hated to burst the bubble, but…too fucking bad! 

Once Jack reached the bottom of the steps, he released his hold on his gun and helped Daniel to climb for the steps were large even if few in number. At the top, Jack knew Daniel would need a rest and he wanted to tend to Daniel’s back before they left. “Here sit, let me tend your back before we leave,” he said, helping Daniel to the floor once they were inside, then removed his pack and sat on the ground next to him. 

Before Jack could open a strap, Daniel grabbed him and hugged him, softly sobbing. Jack didn’t hesitate, he had waited so long to hold Daniel, to see him alive, if the man wanted comfort, he got it…all of it. “Shh, baby, it’s going to be all right. I have a way out of here, I promise,” he whispered, carefully wrapping his arms around Daniel, mindful of the bleeding cuts upon his back. When he saw the ones from a previous beating, he wanted to go back out there and mow them all into the ground with his P-90, but that would not make the wounds go away, nor make Daniel better, so he remained where he was. “Shh, it’s okay,” he said softly. 

“I knew you’d come, I knew it,” Daniel cried, the intensity of the beginning outburst quickly passing, as Jack held him close and assured him they were safe. “I never stopped believing in you, Jack,” he told him, then looked up into the face that gave him hope and warmed his heart and soul. Their lips were so close, Daniel couldn’t help it, he reached up just a bit further and caressed his own upon Jack’s. 

Jack saw Daniel’s open and loving eyes looking at him and felt his soul soar, then when he felt Daniel’s lips touch his own, it was like he lived once more. Jack closed his eyes and savored the touch, but this was not the place for this. He slowly moved back and saw the hesitation and concern in Daniel’s eyes, something he never wanted to see. He caressed Daniel’s face, cupping his cheek, “Hear me,” he said softly. “I love you, Daniel Jackson, with all I am. If you want…I’m yours,” he said, his words few but the meaning great. 

“I want,” Daniel said, his eyes glowing with love, the pain almost forgotten. 

Jack knew he was glowing and probably had a goofy grin on his face, but he didn’t care, his Danny wanted him and from that kiss and that look, loved him in return. “Then let’s get you cleaned up and out of here,” Jack said, moving to get his first aid kit. 

“Jack, according to the wall, you need…” 

“The eye of truth in the palm of your hand to get out of here,” Jack smirked, and saw the disbelief in Daniel’s eyes. “Hey, I read ya know,” he said, and then showed Daniel his right palm. “It opens a portal or something, I checked it out before getting you,” he said, not mentioning that he didn’t actually step through but that was not a big issue so not worth mentioning. 

Daniel looked at Jack for a long moment, and then figured the others on his staff must have figured it out and he read the report. Regardless, Jack had a way out…they were going home…home together! He sat quietly, smiling for there was no pain at the moment as Jack took care of his back. 

When Jack was done, Daniel stood up, his back cleaned up and bandaged thanks to Jack and he now wore Jack’s BDU jacket loosely on his shoulders. Jack had everything packed up and Daniel kept watch, seeing the monks drawing closer, yelling that they should give up while the punishment was not so severe, but Jack said he could get them home and he believed him. 

“Let’s go,” Jack said, grabbing up the backpack and placed an arm around Daniel, to hold him close. 

“Jack…” Daniel said, cupping Jack’s face, needing to know that he was real, that this was real. He looked into the dark eyes he had looked into for years and saw more than he ever did before, for they were open to him, and they shone with a brilliance that could only come from love. He leaned in and once more kissed Jack, placing his heart into that kiss and then felt Jack return that kiss with his own heart…it was real, Jack was here and Jack loved him. “Let’s go,” Daniel grinned and leaned into his best friend and soon to be lover. 

Jack held up his right hand and touched the wall and just as before the wall lit up and in the center, the wall appeared to bend and the light distort, like some sort of portal as he had described earlier. He gently placed Daniel in front of him, but never took his arm off his shoulder and together they walked forward and were surrounded by light, then it was gone. 

Jack blinked a few times and when he could see again, there in the corner was the pack that contained Daniel’s books. He grinned, “Never thought I’d be so happy to see this place again.” 

“Jack…where is everyone?” Daniel asked, expecting to see the rest of the team. 

Jack decided to use distraction, even if he knew it wouldn’t last long. “Come on, we need to get you back,” he said, moving to get the other backpack, not minding the burden of helping Daniel and carrying his books along with the heavy backpack and guided Daniel outside. They got about fifty feet before Teal’c, Colonel Ellison and Lieutenant Aims emerged from the tree line. He could read their surprised faces…well in Teal’c’s case surprised brow, at seeing Daniel at his side. 

“Doctor Jackson,” Lieutenant Aims gasped and grinned, for Daniel had long since become a favorite of many at SGC; it was a prime indicator to Jack who would be staying and who would find themselves wearing snow shoes on their next assignment. 

Jack met Colonel Ellison’s gaze and pleadingly shook his head no, hoping not to bring the dark cloud that was hanging over his head into the present right now. He could see Ellison thinking about it, and then smiled at Daniel, “Good to have you back, Doctor Jackson, you’ve been missed. Let’s get you back home,” he stated, giving his silent ‘for now’ to Jack as he turned and moved ahead to radio the rest of his team and inform them of the situation. 

“Daniel Jackson, I am most pleased to see you have returned,” Teal’c said, and then shared a look with O’Neill, giving both men a bow. He saw O’Neill mouth ‘thank you,’ and gave him another bow of the head. “You appear unwell, do you require assistance?” he asked, seeing Daniel limp and move slowly, surmising the injury was in the back. 

“I’m fine,” Daniel replied. 

“Daniel,” Jack said, instantly knowing Daniel was lying. 

“I…I’m…” Daniel looked at Jack, wanting him to believe he was well, for he didn’t want to release his hold on him, but didn’t’ want to explain that to Teal’c. Thankfully, Teal’c seemed to understand and relieved Jack of both backpacks. 

“What’s in the other backpack?” Daniel asked as they made their way toward the ridge he would have to climb before getting to the gate. 

“Ah…your books,” Jack replied, wanting to be honest, but not wanting to discuss it all. 

“My books? Why did anyone leave my books here? Shouldn’t they be back in my office?” Daniel asked, his concern for his books overshadowing his own well-being. 

“I’ll explain it to you later,” Jack promised, unsure if he wanted to tell Daniel all about his obsession, not so much that he didn’t want Daniel to know what he’d done, but he was concerned that he might take it wrongly, that he might think the others had given up on him…well, most had, but he knew that Carter and Teal’c hadn’t, but their hands had been tied. His had been too, but he’d chosen to cut that tie. 

Jack kept the smile on his face with ease, for he’d gotten what he’d wanted; Daniel, alive and safe…whatever happened next, didn’t matter. He did wish he’d had more time with Daniel, their kiss too short, but it hadn’t been a good idea to stay longer than they had in that other place, so he accepted this was the price he paid to have Daniel back…he could pay it. 

************

Daniel didn’t feel so good as they arrived at the gate, though he was thankful that Jack had insisted they take breaks, giving him time to rest and fresh water to drink and a fruit bar that Jack had in his pack, but all the stress, all the fear, all the pain, was catching up to him. He leaned a little more against Jack, soaking in his heat, inhaling deeply of his scent, wanting nothing more than to crawl into his arms and sleep forever, knowing he’d be safe and loved. 

The Stargate stood open before him, and he and Jack made their way up the steps, SG-4 and Teal’c letting them go first. He stumbled on the other side, but Jack held him, he was in no danger of falling. The resounding sound of applause filled his senses, and he then noticed the gate room and the control room were filled with personnel, military and civilian. Sam and General Hammond were waiting at the bottom of the ramp just as Janet was pushing her way forward, a huge grin on her face at seeing him. 

“Welcome home, son,” Hammond said, stretching his hand and shaking Daniel’s. 

“Gosh, it so good to have you home,” Sam said, hugging him, but drew back when Daniel flinched in her arms. 

“Easy, Carter,” Jack chastised, but not too harshly. “Doc, they gave his back quite the workout,” he told Janet as she made her way up to the two of them. 

“What happened?” Carter asked, concern for her little brother filling her once again. 

“Well…” Daniel started. 

“Save it for the debriefing, son,” Hammond said gently. Then he turned his eyes on Jack, and they were filled with a mix of joy and sadness. “I’m not sure I can help you out of this one, Colonel, but I’ll do what I can,” he told Jack. 

Jack had understood what he was getting into when he’d done what he did. “I understand, sir,” the Colonel stated and handed over the P-90 and his other weapons to the nearest SF. 

“I’m afraid I have no choice at the moment,” Hammond replied. 

Daniel looked confused, and noticed everyone else looked sad, disappointed and resigned. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Jack?” 

“It’s okay, Danny,” Jack smiled, then faced Hammond and stood at attention ready to face the music. 

Hammond hated to say what he did next, but his hands were tied. “Colonel, I hereby place you under arrest, for the charges of assault to an Airman, unlawful use of the Stargate and going AWOL. Sergeant, escort Colonel O’Neill to the brig.” 

“Jack?” Daniel said, not wanting to let go of him, but was being held back by Janet and Carter, Teal’c stepping partially in the way to keep him back as well. 

Jack looked over at Daniel as the guards surrounded him and looked into Daniel’s beautiful blue eyes and smiled, feeling no fear or concern for himself. “No matter what, Danny…it was worth it,” he said, then turned and marched out with his SF escort, holding his head high, for he had succeeded in bringing Daniel home.

“Jack…JACK!” Daniel cried out, for he couldn’t believe it. He had just found Jack…or to be more accurate, Jack had found him…and he had found his heart and now it was being taken away from him. “JACK!” he shouted again, wanting to be with his love, wanting him to hold him…he didn’t want any of these other people, yet they kept getting in his way. “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!” he snarled, pushing his way to go through them, most stepping back out of shock at hearing him yell. He then ran to the hall, uncaring of who followed and started to run after Jack, but Teal’c caught up to him and held him. He could see Jack moving farther and farther away from him. “JACK!” he shouted, trying to break Teal’c’s hold. “Let me go, let me go!” he demanded. 

“Daniel, please stop this,” Sam pleaded, having never seen Daniel like this and fearing for him. 

“Daniel,” Janet said, cupping his face and forcing the man to look at him. “He broke the regs, he snuck through the gate…” 

“Why? Why did he have to sneak through?” Daniel demanded, looking at everyone and could read the truth in their faces before a word was spoken. “You’d given up on me…you’d have left me in that hell…” his breathing increasing. Using a technique that Teal’c had shown, him, he slipped the Jaffa’s hold and ran as fast as he could down the hall ignoring the cries for him to stop. He turned the corner and saw Jack about to enter the elevator. “JACK!” 

Jack turned and saw Daniel running after him, love and fear filled his heart. He looked at the SF’s, “a moment?” he asked, hoping they would be compassionate and grant him this request. Before he could say more or get a response, Daniel was in his arms, hugging the stuffing out of him…Jack couldn’t help the smile or the love that filled him. At this point in time, he didn’t give a damn what anyone thought of him, what mattered most in the world was in his arms. “Shh,” he soothed, gently rubbing Daniel’s shoulders and hair with his right hand, and holding him firmly around the waist with his left, careful of his back. “Don’t cry,” he whispered, feeling the moisture on his shirt and he so wished he could kiss them away, but he couldn’t, not for military decorum, but for Daniel’s dignity. 

He then saw the others catch up, all filled with mixed reactions to seeing them together, some relief, others concern. He then pulled pack and used both hands to cup Daniel’s face. “I believe in you, Danny. I always did. I knew that I was giving up everything to find you, but I had to, I had to find you if I was going to live another day. I meant what I said, Daniel, you were WORTH IT,” he swore, unable to fight a few tears of his own from falling. 

“Sir,” one of the SF’s said, seeing the General standing nearby. 

Jack nodded, “Got to go, Danny, heard they’re redecorating the brig and want my opinion on it,” he smirked. 

“I’ll wait,” Daniel promised as he saw Jack stepping away and into the elevator. 

“Daniel, you don’t…” 

“I’ll wait…I believe in you, Jack. I’ll wait…I’LL WAIT!” he shouted as the doors closed and Jack was gone. All he had endured and Jack had come through, but at a price and now he was gone. The emotional stress, the physical one was too much and like a true weight was upon his shoulders he fell to his knees, his arms wrapped around himself and cried as his heart broke. 

********

“How is he?” Hammond asked as he entered the infirmary later that day, having taken a direct flight back when he’d gotten the call from Colonel Reynolds, and just now had a little sleep. 

“Which one?” Janet asked as she entered her office, sipping coffee, for like many she hadn’t had much sleep either. 

“Doctor Jackson. Why, is there something wrong with Colonel O’Neill?” he asked, wondering if there was something he should know about. 

“On or off the record, sir?” Janet asked, as she put her cup down. She had thought long and hard about what she was going to do, and seeing the heartbreak and the dark despair in both Daniel and Jack, she knew she had no choice…at least none she could live with. 

“How about we start off the record,” Hammond said, turning and closing the door to Janet’s office and then turned back to face his Chief Medical Officer. 

“Well, if you haven’t noticed, Colonel O’Neill and Daniel are very close…” she started to say. 

“I noticed that, Doctor,” Hammond replied, wondering what she was getting at. 

“I guess what I’m trying to say is…would you have stayed here if it was your wife that was missing, sir? Would you have remained on the base waiting for a miracle to happen instead of going out and getting her, especially when no one was listening to you about how to find her? Or would you risk everything to get her back?” Janet asked, meeting Hammond’s eyes knowing she wasn’t playing fair. 

“That’s hardly the same situation, Doctor,” Hammond replied a bit firmly, not caring at having his late wife’s memory dragged up like this. 

“Well, that’s what I’m trying to tell you, sir. It IS exactly the SAME, sir,” she told him in all seriousness. 

Hammond looked at his CMO and blinked a few times, his mind processing what he was hearing. He knew his 2IC and Doctor Jackson were close, but then after that display in the hall and now this…he finally saw the light. Jack’s behavior made all the more sense and his desperation. He nodded slowly as full understanding dawned on him, “I see,” he said. 

“Sir, unofficially, Colonel O’Neill has watched Daniel…his…partner, beaten, kidnapped, killed, and more…this was just the last straw, especially being told to ‘let it go’, sir. Could you have?” she challenged. 

Hammond now understood what his CMO was asking him and frankly she was right. “No, Major I don’t think I could have either. However, I can’t present any of this in Colonel O’Neill’s defense, it would only damage him more.” 

“I understand that, sir. That’s why I’m giving you this,” she said, handing him a folder, “for the record, sir,” she stated, looking very serious. 

Hammond opened the folder and found a medical file and her notes on Colonel O’Neill’s medical condition, and her recommendation that he was NOT accountable for his actions due to the head injury he was still being treated for. She had noted very clearly that she’d allowed Colonel back to work for light duty under protest, which was the truth, but the fact she said it, only proved how serious she was in her attempt to protect the Colonel. Hammond wasn’t a doctor, but he had no doubts she had covered every base she could medically cover. “Off the record, you do know…if anyone discovers anything…otherwise, you’ll be the one facing a court-martial, Major,” he looked at Janet and felt pride in having her as one of his people as she stood tall and proud of her actions. 

“Off the record, sir, I’m very aware of my actions, sir,” Janet told him. 

Hammond was quiet for a long moment, and then nodded. “I take this is your professional opinion to be submitted on Colonel O’Neill’s behalf?” he asked, getting back into professional mode, for it was better for him at the moment. 

“Yes, sir. I am also suggesting that while in custody, he be placed in an isolation room for medical treatment and proper observation until further notice,” she stated, wishing she could put Jack and Daniel in the same room, but she knew that would be pushing it and only hurt the Colonel in the long run. 

Hammond knew he could deny her request, making her suggestions and medical opinion have less credibility in the long run or support her. Probably why she wanted to explain what was really happening between the two men, his best two here at the SGC. After a few moments of silent consideration, Hammond nodded, “Very well, I’ll have him brought here for treatment, doctor, but NO visitors, is that clear?” 

Janet understood all too well, “Yes, sir,” she nodded and then watched Hammond leave. She was glad he was supporting her, for it would go a long way in the long run for Colonel O’Neill’s defense. She then left and went to go see Daniel who had withdrawn into himself, refusing a sedative, and since he was just lying there, she couldn’t really excuse herself into giving him one…yet. She could see he was angry at learning that he’d been listed MIA and the search called off. Hell, they’d spent over three months once, looking for a way to rescue the Colonel…but then they’d known where he was, they had no idea about Daniel’s whereabouts. 

“Hey,” she said quietly as she moved, pulling the curtain closed behind her. “I know you’re angry, Daniel, but I thought I should let you know, I’m having the Colonel moved to an isolation room…” This got Daniel’s attention. 

“Why? Is something wrong with him? Is he okay?” Daniel asked, his eyes now full of life and concern over his love. 

Janet lowered her voice to a mere whisper, “Off the record, he’s fine, Daniel. Though ON the record, he’s still suffering from his injuries from almost six weeks ago…” 

“Injuries…what injuries?” Daniel asked, feeling totally lost here. 

Janet pulled up a chair and began to explain to Daniel all of Jack’s injuries from when Daniel had gone missing, and what she was putting in the official medical report. “It’s the only thing I can think of, since the truth would only make things worse,” she told him. Seeing Daniel’s eyes grow wide, she smiled warmly, “I’ve known for a while, Daniel, and I’m SO very glad you’ve come to see it, too. But it would be a real tragedy if you two were forced apart now…after the Colonel went to so much effort to find you,” she grinned. 

“Jack?” Daniel asked, wanting to know the full story. 

“I’m not sure how he did it, but Sam told me how he asked for your notes from the Blue planet, as the Colonel called it. Then he started pestering everyone in your department asking for assistance in translating the photos of the wall, before the General ordered them to stop helping him….oh, they were allowed to work on it, in fact, General Hammond ordered they continue, but he wanted the Colonel to stop pestering them…well, that’s what he thought…” she laughed. 

“But he DID figure it out,” Daniel replied, suddenly feeling even more proud of his love. 

“Yes, apparently he did, but I don’t know the details, you’ll have to ask him. I also know Sam is on the warpath with the Colonel, though I suspect she’ll let it take a backseat to all…this,” she said, her smile fading recalling what trouble Jack was in. 

“Why is Sam mad at Jack?” Daniel asked getting more comfortable on his side, keeping pressure off his back, though the ointment on it was not only killing germs but numbing it, and he was careful of his IV for his dehydration Janet said he had along with some antibiotics to prevent infection. 

Janet laughed and told Daniel how the Colonel had only set a timer for the computer to shut down and had turned the brightness and contrast down on the monitors so they had remained black when the power was up, and how Sam had the computer practically torn to shreds trying to get a handle on what he’d done before she’d realized what the truth of the matter was; that in fact, her tinkering had done more in tying up the computer being brought on line than anything the Colonel had done. Her heart warmed hearing Daniel laugh; it was so good to have him home. 

“Yeah, I can imagine she was pissed,” Daniel chuckled, and reached up and scratched his beard, which he had washed earlier. “Do you know anyone who could help me deal with this?” he asked, scratching his bearded chin some more. 

“I’ll get the base barber to make a house-call,” she teased. 

“Thanks,” Daniel said, and then fell silent. 

Janet reached out her hand and took Daniel’s in a gentle grip. “I’ll go to the wall to back my findings, Daniel, but it still may not be enough…” 

“What am I going to do, Janet? I just found him…I mean…” Daniel closed his eyes, his heart breaking some more. 

“I know, Daniel, I know. The Colonel is not allowed any visitors while under my care, however,” she grinned mischievously, “no one said he couldn’t have messages…private messages.” 

“Thank you, Janet,” Daniel said sincerely. 

“You get some sleep, Daniel. You won’t be any good for the Colonel if you’re sick, in fact, it’ll make him worry more about you, and before you even ask, he’ll know if I’m lying. He always seems to know if I’m hiding something when it comes to you…must be because he loves you,” she quietly teased as she got up. “I’ve banned visitors for you too, tonight. I would expect a long queue in the morning.” 

“I don’t know why they bother, they gave up on me…” Daniel growled pulling a blanket further up over his shoulders. 

“No…no one gave up, Daniel. The upper brass MADE the General call it. And between you and me and anyone who really asks me, I’m glad the Colonel had the courage to go after you…place wasn’t the same without you,” she smiled, then patted Daniel’s hand and started to go, but looked at him one last time. “No one gave up in their hearts, honest,” she said, and then left. 

Daniel could believe that the higher-ups had ordered Hammond to call off the search, but he was still upset that only Jack had come for him…though Teal’c was there…? He knew there was more to this whole story than met the eye, and he’d have to find out, but for now, he was exhausted and every time he closed his eyes, he saw Jack’s smiling face and his sparkling brown eyes, but eventually he fell asleep He dreamed of being in Jack’s arms as they floated across the dance floor, Jack in his dress blues, himself in a midnight blue tuxedo…it was their wedding and this was their dance…a lovely waltz, Jack leading, looking regal in his bearing, and he felt happy, very, very happy while he slept, keeping the pains of the real world at bay. 

********

His home felt so empty and cold, so he decided to get another sweater from his bedroom, but when he stepped through the door, he was not in his bedroom but outside, and the place looked familiar. All around him was desert, and to his left was a familiar tent, one fit for a queen…it was then as the winds blew harder that he knew this was the place where his Sha’re had died, and this was just like his vision when Amonet had tried to kill him, but something was different. He turned and there she was, standing as lovely as ever, his beautiful Sha’re. 

“You are lost, my Dan’yel,” she spoke, the winds blowing the silk of her dress about her, along with her dark locks. 

“I want to go home,” Daniel said, taking a step toward his former wife. 

“I am no longer the way, my Dan’yel. The one you chose I approve of, and he awaits you, but yet you are here…why are you here, Dan’yel?” she asked, as the winds started to grow stronger. 

“I…I…I don’t know,” Daniel said, feeling fear clench his heart as the winds began to blow harsher, a storm brewing quickly. “I can’t find him…help me?” he asked, as he covered his face to block out the sand that was pelting against his face. 

“Go to him, Dan’yel…Go to him,” Sha’re called out, her voice then becoming lost in the storm and she faded among the sandy winds. 

Daniel fell to his knees, the winds too much, then suddenly they stopped and everything was dark but for a little bit of light…he was back in the dungeon, back in that prison. “No…no…please,” he begged, moving forward to the thick bars and clenching them with his hands, seeing a monk in the distance. “Don’t leave me he here…don’t forget about me…please…” he begged, as he felt the cold dark dampness fill his bones one again, sure that if he was left here again he would surly die. “Please, no…JACK…JACK HELP ME…JACK!” 

Daniel snapped his head up, aware that he had fallen asleep and what he had just experienced was a nightmare, but his arms automatically went around himself. After a few blinks, he saw he had fallen asleep in his office, being allowed ‘light duty’ but staying longer for he could not bear to be home…alone. Yet, even on base, he didn’t seek company, but the familiar, his office, for that which he really wanted was Jack, and he was being guarded around the clock these last four days. 

Daniel sighed, rubbing his face, his emotions all over the place. Janet wanted him to talk to someone about his experience, but he was not allowed to talk to Jack and refused to speak with anyone else. Teal’c and Sam had tried to be there, but on some irrational level, he was angry at them…he still felt they had given up on him, though deep down he knew better. He stretched his neck by rounding his head slowly, the image of his late wife slowly fading along with the nightmare, but her words were still present, “Go to him.” He wanted nothing better, but he didn’t know how. He’d gone to General Hammond and requested permission, but he had been denied, saying it was in both his and Jack’s best interest, but wouldn’t elaborate further, so he was forced to wait…wait and dream. 

Daniel didn’t keep his doors closed for it would then be too much like his prison, but most people understood he wanted to be alone, which ironically he didn’t…he just didn’t want their company. He looked up as saw Teal’c quietly enter and bowed his head then came in further. “Teal’c.” 

“It is time for the afternoon meal, Daniel Jackson, I have come to accompany you to the commissary,” Teal’c said in his normal calm voice. 

“I’m not hungry,” Daniel replied, getting up and moving to a nearby closet and getting a sweater he kept there, placing it over his BDU jacket, since it was one that zipped up, then once more wrapped his arms around himself again, still feeling cold inside. 

“O’Neill would find me in dereliction of my duty if I were not to oversee your well-being, Daniel Jackson. Also, Doctor Fraiser has insisted that you gain weight in order to regain your full strength,” Teal’c replied, taking in Daniel’s behavior and adding it to all the other ways he had been acting over the past few days and understood well what Daniel truly needed. 

Daniel rested his forehead against the open door of the closet at hearing Jack’s name. He slowly leaned back and saw the mirror that hung there, but instead of his own face, it was Jack’s he saw there. He quickly moved and closed the door. “I’m not hungry,” he told Teal’c and moved back toward his desk and the notes he had been reading, impressed with how much Jack had accomplished virtually alone, having found his notebook among the books in the backpack that had been brought here from their return and forgotten. 

“Daniel Jackson, you need…” 

“I need Jack, Teal’c,” Daniel snapped, not finding his usual self-control to be available…it was like he was cut in half and slowly bleeding. He could at this very moment identify with how the mechanical Jack had felt, recalling the report of how he lay there leaking vital fluid as he was sliced open from weapon’s fire. Like that Jack, he too was laid wide open, bleeding before everyone’s eyes and left there…to die slowly. He turned away and tried to compose himself, but he was not managing very well. 

“You are correct, Daniel Jackson, as O’Neill needs you,” Teal’c said after a long moment of silence. “Come,” he stated, and moved and gently but firmly took Daniel by the elbow and helped him stand. 

“Teal’c, I said…” Daniel started to protest, but quickly realized he was either going to have to fight Teal’c or call the guards, and he didn’t want either. “Fine,” he muttered and changed his pace to walk next to Teal’c who had not released his grip. 

To Daniel’s surprise they did not head to the commissary, but the infirmary and near the isolation room Jack was being held in. “Remain here until it is time,” Teal’c stated and then moved forward and began engaging the guards in a conversation Daniel couldn’t make out as he was further down the hall. Soon he saw a nurse exit Jack’s room and Teal’c, the master of his warrior trade, kept the door open with his foot, the guards not realizing it had not closed and locked as it should, then Teal’c carefully removed his foot, while distracting the guards, and let the door close without locking. He then moved to the other side, so the guards were facing him and then after a minute, the guards’ faces looked red, as if angry…Daniel was puzzled. He then saw Teal’c step further back away from the door, an invisible string attached to the guards as they followed and then watched Teal’c go down to the floor and start doing push-ups one handed on his knuckles…OUCH! But Daniel saw his opportunity and with the skill taught to him by Jack, he stealthily moved down the hall and inside the room. 

Daniel wasn’t surprised to see Jack in a medical gown, hooked up to an IV and other basic medical equipment, as he knew Janet would do all she could to push the medical angle that Jack had not been in his right mind at the time he’d gone AWOL, so to lessen whatever the outcome would be from the charges being laid against him. But seeing his bright eyes filled with so much love for him was like a breath of life and warmth and Daniel bolted over to him and jumped into his arms, never wanting to leave them ever. “Jack,” was all he could say, but he knew in his heart his love understood. 

“Da…” Jack started to say when he first saw his visitor, but a finger to Daniel’s mouth quieted him. The next thing he knew he had an armful of archeologist and was the happiest man in the universe. “Danny,” he whispered. 

Jack felt Daniel tremble, and shifted the blankets out from under Daniel, one arm remaining around him, and then covered them both, though Daniel’s feet still dangled on the side of the bed, it didn’t matter, so long as Daniel remained in his arms. “I’m here baby, I’m here,” he soothed, gently rocking his love, feeling his shoulders begin to heave and felt more then heard his tears. “You’re safe, I’m here.” 

“It was…so…so cold…” Daniel cried softly. “Cold and dark…they…they forgot…about…me…left me…alone,” Daniel sobbed, burying himself further into Jack’s arms, his face buried into Jack’s strong chest, his heartbeat a comforting sound. 

“Oh, Danny,” Jack said, feeling his heart breaking, for he knew his Danny was a strong man, but it was not the man who had suffered in that dark, cold, lonely dungeon but the lost little boy who had been left alone, left behind and forced to grow up all those many years ago. How he knew this, he was unsure, but he knew Daniel better then anyone just as Daniel knew him…and still the man loved him. “You’re not alone anymore, Danny, not alone,” he whispered and placed a kiss on Daniel’s hair and held him tighter and rocked him. 

Jack looked up and saw Janet standing in the doorway, a mix of understanding and concern on her face. He simply held Daniel tighter, bringing up the blanket more, almost cocooning the two of them, and not caring what anyone thought or what the security tape showed, only that his Danny was okay. “Feeling warmer?” he asked, and felt Daniel nod yes. “It’s going to be okay, Danny,” he promised, though he didn’t know how for sure. 

“Don’t let them take you away from me, Jack…please?” Daniel asked, looking up, his glasses having fallen off hanging by one ear, and his blue eyes red from tears. “Please?” 

Jack saw the fear, the deeper fear, more than what that place had done to his love…the fear of hurt that only HE could cause because Daniel loved him. “I won’t,” Jack said, the words a vow he meant to keep. Hammond had come to him, presenting him options, and he was going to fight so he could stay at the mountain with Daniel, but there was a risk he could lose and be sent to Leavenworth…he knew now he couldn’t risk that, nothing was as important as Daniel…he knew that when he left, he knew that now as well. He looked up at Janet who was still at the entranceway, Teal’c now standing behind her, the guards looking embarrassed, a story he’d get later. “Would you let General Hammond know I wish to see him?” he asked her. 

Daniel turned quickly but Jack didn’t release his hold, so it was awkward and saw Janet who only smiled softly at him, “I…” Daniel started to say, but Janet silenced him with a hand up. 

“One hour,” she said looking at Daniel, then looked at Jack, “I’ll tell the General,” she finished, already knowing what the Colonel wanted to tell him; that he’d changed his mind and would take his pension…retire. She moved back and closed the door to give the two men some privacy. She didn’t have to tell them or anyone that she had the camera in the room turned off the day Jack was placed in there for other reasons…not unless they asked though she suspected Teal’c knew or he wouldn’t have helped Daniel sneak in there. 

Daniel turned to face Jack, confused, “Jack?” 

“They offered me a choice, one I fight with a slim margin I can get off with what Fraiser is saying and other extenuating circumstances, but like I said, the margin is slim. I was going to risk it…but not anymore….” 

“Jack, you saved me, I know you shouldn’t have had to…knock that guard out…but…” Daniel was hushed by a finger on his lips, which he kissed. 

“I have enemies and they are barking mad at the door, Daniel. I’m going to take the second offer. An honorable discharge and my pension…uht…no, it’s the only way I can keep my promise to you, Danny. The only way I can make sure they don’t take me away from you,” he told him seriously, and then smiled lovingly. “Besides, I’m getting up there, knees are shot…and I kind of like the idea of tinkering around my house and having you come home to me at the end of the day.” 

“You want me to live with you?” Daniel asked a bit surprised. 

Jack chuckled, “if it were allowed, I’d be asking you to marry me, Danny-boy, so yes…live with me…forever.” 

“Yes!” Daniel shouted with glee then kissed his love deeply and passionately. “Forever, Jack…you’re not getting rid of me, you understand that right?” Daniel asked, looking up into the face he adored more than anything. 

“Damn right I do, and I can’t thank God enough for it,” Jack smiled and once more began to kiss his love, his soulmate senseless. 

Outside the door just a bit down the hall, Janet was standing with Sam, Teal’c, and General Hammond who looked a bit upset at hearing that Daniel Jackson was in visiting with Colonel O’Neill. 

“I thought I said no visitors,” Hammond said while looking grimly at Janet. 

“Call it therapy, sir,” Janet replied, smiling, knowing that now Daniel and Jack were going to be all right. “By the way, sir. Colonel O’Neill asked to see you…I suggest in about an hour…he’s going to retire, sir,” she told him knowingly. 

“I see,” Hammond said, seeing the smile and having been kept apprised of both Jackson and O’Neill, understood why his CMO was pushing his orders and once more using her medical position to protect them. 

“It’s not going to be the same without the Colonel around,” Sam sighed heavily. 

“You mean, both O’Neill and Daniel Jackson,” Teal’c stated. “They walk the same path now from this day forth.” He looked at Janet and nodded, knowing she understood. 

“Well, the SGC could use another Civilian Advisor,” Hammond suggested, having foreseen such a need days ago. “I’ll be back in an HOUR, Doctor,” he said, meaning Doctor Jackson’s visit WOULD be up then. “I’ve a call to make to The President,” he then said, a smile crossing his face and left. 

“I don’t understand…what do you mean they walk the same path?” Sam asked, puzzled. 

“Come on, Sam honey, I think you and I need to have a talk,” Janet said, gently herding Sam down the hall with her, going to explain the other half of the birds and the bees that she obviously needed. 

Teal’c just moved to stand in between the two embarrassed guards, blocking the isolation window in the door, so no one could see the two men kissing passionately and stood guard…and smiled. 

THE END


End file.
